The Western World was stunned by an incredible discovery made public last week. Egyptian archaeologists, in a new excavation only two miles from the tomb of Tutankhamen, uncovered artifacts that have a direct bearing on the heritage of bridge.
According to project coordinator, Awadar Habir, “Over a two-month period we unearthed 17 clay tablets. All have been authenticated by electrophoresis and radiocarbon tests, and we welcome verification by outside experts. We are now in the process of deciphering the writings, which are hieroglyphics of the 18th dynasty.”
The United States has officially accepted Mr. Habir’s invitation. A team of Egyptologists, headed by Clayton Chernak, Ph.D., of Harvard, will leave Tuesday to participate in the findings. I have been invited to join the team as a bridge expert. Sounds exciting!
Habir divulged that the tablets contained a treatise titled “Tut’s Bridge Complete,” including many card diagrams followed by explanations. He released the following diagram because the explanation had become fossilized by tana leaves, leaving the translators puzzled.
Tutankhamen wrote that five of the six tricks can be won with spades trump and South to lead, but from that point on it was indiscernible. Can you solve the mystery?
There is just one solution. Tutankhamen played a spade to the ace. (The finesse wasn’t discovered until centuries later.) He then led a diamond and trumped with the spade ten. West must overruff and return a trump — else the solution is easy — and North’s jack is played. Then: (1) If East keeps only one diamond, a diamond ruff establishes the North’s last diamond; (2) if East keeps only one club, South overtakes with the spade king to ruff a club and establish South’s last club.
Tut-tut.
© 1988 Richard Pavlicek
by Richard Pavlicek by Richard Pavlicek